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Rebuilding

In the aftermath of war, the focus often falls on destruction, but equally important are the stories of rebuilding: of homes, communities, and lives. This project highlights how young people explore the theme of rebuilding through art, poetry, and storytelling. It captures the strength, hope, and determination that emerge from the shadows of conflict. Their creative work gives voice to the resilience and renewal that follow even the darkest of times.

Please be aware that the information below touches on topics related to war, conflict and its effects. It may therefore not be appropriate for all audiences.

BRIGHT SKIES
by Hyunseo C, 16-18, South Korea

This artwork highlights the profound impact of war on children's growth and development. The children playing in the ruins of a destroyed building illustrate how deeply war scars their childhood and shapes their formative years. In this piece, the only ‘toys’ available for the children are tanks, grenades and destroyed bricks, emphasizing the impact of war in their growth and the environment war creates for them. The crumbling red brick walls symbolize the devastating destruction of war, while the children playing among the debris represent the trauma and chaos they are forced to endure. The background is a wallpaper of a sky that is already rusty and is worn out at the edges. This shows the artificial hope that these children are exposed to. Despite this, the bright sky signifies the persistence of innocence and hope. This piece powerfully critiques the negative effects of war on children's growth and development, conveying a message that even in the face of such hardships, the resilience and hope of these young lives should not be extinguished.

REBUILD FOR THE FUTURE
by Gaziza B, 16-18, Kazakhstan

When I thought of the word ‘rebuild’, it reminded me of a glued-together ceramic piece that was once broken. Thus, I came up with the idea to create old ‘ceramic’ buildings devastated by war, which were put together by several hands. I tried to make the glue messy to show how recovering after a conflict is not always a smooth process. Also, I wanted to use different media to create a more interesting artwork, so I made the hands out of green yarn.

RUINS, RECOVERY, REBIRTH
by Ximing L, 16-18, United States

The charcoal piece ‘Ruins, Recovery, Rebirth’ depicts life after conflict for many people. The piece illustrates the abandoned buildings of an old city. The architecture is warped and decaying, representing the negative outcome of war, as conflict forces many people to leave behind their past and become unable to return. Many depart from their childhood homes as they venture into the unknown and leave their original city abandoned and in ruins. But even so, the people who left the city have not truly left. The city lives on in their dreams and memories. Where someone grows up contains a significant amount of sentimental value, so even when they leave, parts of them are still rooted there. Even if the city is in ruins after war, the people themselves are able to recover from the conflict. As they strive for more extraordinary things together, the community is reborn. After all, the community is within the people, not the city. In times of conflict, people have repeatedly demonstrated their perseverance and risen from the ruins.

HOMELAND
by Kaia K, 14-16, Canada

The broken house and the ruins in the background shown that the war has destroyed their homes and brought great destructive power to the city. The house is in warm colors, and the children are sitting on the bed reading, while the outside is a cold ruin, which further highlights the cruelty of war and the huge impact it has on people, causing great psychological trauma to the children.

I AM HOME
by Rewina H, 14-16, Ethiopia

At the forefront of the composition stands a weary yet triumphant soldier, adorned in battle-worn attire. The cruel reality is laid bare in the background of the piece. I depicted a once-thriving community, HIS community, the one he left years ago to protect it, the place he grew up and the place which holds his memories and loved ones is now reduced to rubble. Buildings lay shattered, some still smoldering from the flames of war. The sky, a canvas once painted with the hues of peace, now echoes the fiery aftermath of conflict. The remnants of what was once home scatter the ground, bearing witness to the irrevocable cost of war. The viewer is compelled to contemplate the heartbreaking irony—the soldier’s sacrifice for a cause deemed noble has unwittingly become the instrument of his own undoing. The celebratory return is overshadowed by the irreversible damage inflicted upon the very fabric of existence. ‘Aftermath of Victory’ serves as a stark reminder that, in the pursuit of safeguarding one’s homeland, the price paid can be the destruction of the very peace and serenity one sought to protect.

EDUCATION REBUILDING
by Leong Z Y, 14-16, Malaysia

The first thing that I would like to rebuild after conflict is children’s education.

DIFFERENT HOME
by Houning C, 14-16, China

Defending your home or losing your home, what are you fighting for? We love peace, we don’t like war. But in this world, the sound of gunfire, artillery and explosions are heard far more than the sound of firecrackers and salutes. We are against war and we pray for peace.

BACK TO SCHOOL
by Anastasiia B, 11-14, Ukraine

After seeing what happened to my school, I decided for myself that my best reaction would be to depict it in art. I was inspired to create a picture with a group of teenagers who after a long time returned to their school. Having created a peaceful atmosphere for themselves by playing the guitar, the guys continue to be among the ruins of a familiar place. Anyway, they calmly continue to sit in their classroom, silently recalling moments from a past life spent at this school.

The Story of Srebrenica
by Denis Avdic, 14-16, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Srebrenica is a symbol of sadness and tragedy. My painting presents the sorrow of Srebrenica, a contrast between a fascinating landscape, created by nature and man-made destruction. I presented the destruction of homes, lives, memories, and souls. It’s just emptiness that has remained. Empty souls, houses, playgrounds, yards, burned photos, letters, toys and dreams. A symbol of hope is the sunshine among the gloomy clouds because we need hope for tomorrow.

THE PSYCHE OF LOST YOUTH
by Diana Yaseen, 16-18, US Virgin Islands

The transcendent trauma of the Nakba (taking of Palestine in 1948): not only for first-generation refugees but for second-generation refugees like my baba and for third-generation refugees such as myself who are still searching for a sense of home. Collectively, this is a Psyche of Lost Youth living in haphazard safety yearning to go to a home we can scarcely remember. What began as families escaping the ravages of war quickly turned into the complete loss of home. Orange and olive groves were once communities of nourishment but they quickly replaced them with daunting blood-soaked villages and a perceived forgotten people. Within this painting are forces unveiling the reality of a surviving culture still searching for hope and renewal in a world forcibly destroyed. And yet, I employ the concept of the window as a symbol of hope, seeing as it is one of the last remaining remnants of a Palestinian home along with a pillar of support. A pillar to remind the world that we are still here, and we are still alive. And we will not be blamed for the terror forced upon us. We deserve to be seen, and we deserve peace.